


To hell and back

by SteveM



Series: Life after Crisis [12]
Category: Batwoman (TV 2019), Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-06
Updated: 2020-03-06
Packaged: 2021-02-23 08:48:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23042278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SteveM/pseuds/SteveM
Summary: When their wedding is interrupted by Bruce Wayne Kara, Kate and the rest of the League learn of a threat from the future that will see the World's Finest travel to Apokolips in a desperate attempt to change their destiny.
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Kate Kane
Series: Life after Crisis [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1623199
Comments: 5
Kudos: 61





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Really hope I did this justice. As we haven't seen Apokolips in the CWverse it felt right to base it on the animated series from the 90's and 2000's. Oh, and even by my normal standards there's a fair few nods to other comics, series and moments in here for good measure. Also tried to help readability a bit by going for shorter chapters where possible.
> 
> Enjoy and, as always, comments and feedback are much appreciated.

Bruce Wayne awoke to a barrage of pain. His bones ached, his muscles burned and every nerve seemed to be screaming. Slowly he opened his eyes, trying to remember where he was or how he'd got there. The bed that supported him was an odd mix of crystal and metal, the surface moulding to his body as he moved, clearly not a human design. The rest of the room was in deep shadow, a single spot light shining down on the bed. But despite the darkness surrounding him he started to relax, his memories snapping into line as he recalled the desperate boom tube trip to escape and give them all one last chance.

"You're awake, finally." The voice echoed from the shadows and Bruce tried to raise his head to find its source, only for a fresh wave of pain to force him back down. He settled for a grunt of confirmation.

"Good. Because I have one question for you to answer. Just one." The voice was moving, circling him in his little oasis of light, a predator on the hunt.

"The last time I saw that face it was trying to kill the woman I love." Now the tone was flat and deadly. "If that's still the case I swear you will not leave this room alive." There was a whisper of movement and Bruce felt something metallic touch his throat. "So think carefully Bruce: what are your intentions towards Kara Zor-El?"

Bruce held himself still knowing that there was little he could do to stop the unseen figure from ending him if they chose. Instead he smiled and gave the only answer he could as it was the pure and simple truth.

"My intentions are to beg her to save us all with you at her side Kate."

The metal edge didn't waver as Kate considered his words. "Remember this moment Bruce. Remember my blade at your throat. Because if you even think about betraying us, about betraying her... it will be the last thing you ever feel."

The figure stepped into the light and Bruce blinked back sudden and unexpected tears. The blade moved away and he slowly raised a hand, the quiet hum of his exoskeleton the only sound in the room. The young woman held herself rigid and allowed the questing fingers to cup her cheek as Bruce shook his head.

"So young... " he muttered, the reality of the situation hitting home. "I'd forgotten."

"You seem to do that a lot." Kate snarled, still not trusting a single thing about the situation.

"You're right." Bruce admitted. "Sometimes it was easier to forget." He looked away in shame but kept talking. "Easier for me anyway. You never did."

"Did?"

Bruce sighed. "You've probably guessed I'm from your future. I've watched you grow Kate, watched you take on the mantle and raise it higher than I ever could."

"Bruce..." Kate's resolve wavered, wanting so desperately to believe that this man was *her* Bruce, the man who she'd been writing to despite knowing he'd likely never read the journals, her cousin who used to be the one solid thing in her life even as the rest of her family shifted around her. To know once and for all if she'd done the right thing following in his footsteps...

"I built the Bat to instil fear in the hearts of those who'd prey on the weak. You lifted it up to be something more, to give hope and courage to the people of Gotham. And..." Bruce paused, clearly battling with what to say. "and together with Kara you'll do the same for this world and countless others."

"What happened that day?" Kate demanded, anger flooding through her. "What happened! Why didn't you save us!"

A shadow passed over Bruce's face. "I made a mistake." He said, his voice barely audible. "I thought you were safe. I left you, all of you... and you lost your mother and your sister."

*And* her sister, Kate thought. In that horrible future reality where Bruce had killed anyone that stood in his way Beth had made it out of the car...

"It's you, isn't it? My Bruce, I mean..."

Bruce smiled, tired but warm, a hint of the man she remembered playing in his eyes. "I don't blame you for being cautious but yes, this is my world and... and I have missed you Kate." To her shock Bruce raise his hand and took hers, holding it tightly. The next moment she was hugging him, carefully so as not to hurt him in his weakened state or snag the exoframe but hugging him nonetheless.

"I've missed you too." She said, fighting back a sob. "I hope... I hope I lived up to your example."

Bruce laughed and the sound was rich and deep. "You did and you will. In fact...." he looked around conspiratorially "in the future it'll be the other way round as I scramble to keep up with you."

"The future... how far?" Kate asked, letting go and settling on to a crystal chair.

"Twenty five years, more or less."

"And I'm going to take a wild guess that you didn't Boom Tube all the way here just to sample the wedding cake?"

"No, though I always regretted not being here for this. You and Kara..." He shook his head. "You always look so happy together but whenever I saw a picture or recording from here you both shone like the sun. I was.. sorry, I am so pleased for you. For both of you. Hang on to each other Kate, no matter what."

"We intend to." Kate replied with a smile. "And I'm going to assume there'll be a lot of that sort of hedging and double speak to avoid polluting the timeline?"

"You really did pick this up quickly." Bruce said with approval. "Yes, though as what brings me here would potentially alter the timeline anyway I'm not sure how much risk it would really carry."

"But be prepared, right?" Kate said with a raised eyebrow and a sardonic smile.

"Exactly." Bruce winced as his body protested even this small movement. 

"Rest now." Kate said. "We're dealing with the aftermath of your dramatic entrance. Once that''s done we can talk properly."

"One thing first." Bruce said with clear reluctance. "You said the last time you saw this face I tried to kill Kara?"

"You did. That version of you, anyway. After you killed a lot more people, including her cousin."

"I see..." Bruce sighed and looked Kate in the eye. "Then I think she and I should talk first, clear the air."


	2. Chapter 2

"You asked to see me?" Kara said, her tone cautious and cold.

"Kate mentioned that you may not think too kindly of this face." Bruce replied, trying to gauge her mood.

"That's one way to put it considering the last time I saw it you were trying to kill me with Kryptonite." Bruce went to reply but Kara held a hand up to stop him. "I know, not you but still..."

"I understand." Bruce said and his voice was weary now. "I've been where you are now and it can be... difficult to trust."

"Try looking at a world-conquering version of yourself sometime."

"I have. It's not fun." Bruce said dryly. "All of your talents, none of your reservations."

"How did you beat him?" Kara asked, curious.

"I didn't. You did."

"Me?"

"Believe it or not we've fought side by side these last few years. Well... when I can force this broken body to do as its told anyway. Most of the time I just hope I don't get in the way." Bruce stared at her face then shook his head. "Remarkable... I know you age slowly on this planet but I really could be talking to the version of you that I know."

"Well that'll make Kate happy at least." Kara said with a small, sad smile. They hadn't really talked about that side of it but the fact was Kate would age and Kara would take a much slower path. Even if their respective career choices didn't get them killed they both knew that Kara would endure long past Kate's end.

"It's never an issue." Bruce said softly and Kara jumped at the words, glaring at him accusingly. "Sorry. The body may be broken but the mind still works and I've become very good at reading people over the years. As far as I know you're both at peace with your choices and happy with each other."

"Surely you shouldn't be telling me that?"

"Probably not but one look at the two of you together should be enough to convince anyone that it's true. Besides, all things considered, that's the least of my worries when it comes to the timeline."

"Well that sounds ominous."

"When you're all ready I tell you about it. This will be dangerous enough going through it once, multiple passes is asking for trouble."

"Fair." Kara allowed. "If you're feeling up to it Clark would like to talk to you."

To her surprise a smile played on the craggy face. "I'd like that." He said, quietly.

"I'll send him in."

She was almost to the door when his voice stopped her. "Kara... you are so much stronger than you know."

She turned to face him again and he seemed to hesitate. "In the future... in my future... I've seen the league falter. I've seen myths and legends fall. I've seen trust break and hope desert us. All of us. Except for you. You will do... extraordinary things. When you do you may feel lost. Trust Kate to find you."

Kara smiled and Bruce saw the strength he knew burning beneath the surface as clear as day. "Always."

She stepped out and was replaced with her cousin who paused at the end of the bed, evaluating the man he knew and considered a friend, a partner. The broken body spoke of a lifetime fighting but in the eyes he saw the courage he remembered so clearly. Bruce grunted and with an effort made it to his feet, wavering slightly as his exoskeleton whirred and hummed to support him.

"Bruce." 

"Clark."

The two stared at each other for a moment then Bruce stepped forward and embraced the Man of Tomorrow. "It's good to see you again old friend."

Kate was waiting for Kara just down the corridor and was relieved to see a warm smile on her wife's face. 

"Everything okay?" She asked just to make sure.

"I think so, with Bruce anyway." Kara said. "Why he's here..."

"Yeah, Batman suddenly showing up from the future doesn't exactly fill me with confidence either."

"Whatever it is we'll deal with it."

There was silence for a moment then Kate snorted a laugh. At Kara's quizzical look she shrugged. "Sorry, just thinking... you were right about which way round to do the ceremonies!"

"At least it's not Nazis this time." 

"True. Though on the downside I don't get a leather-wrapped Kara either."

"Let's get through whatever disaster awaits then we'll talk about that."

"I... wait, seriously?"

"You've got to admit it's good motivation."

"Uh, yes, yes it is." Kate said nodding as her brain indulged in a delightful fashion show. "Okay, I'm back, let's go get this done."


	3. Chapter 3

"Well we're here... want to tell us the bad news?" Kara said as the founding members of the Justice League surrounded Bruce who was standing patiently in the centre of the room.

"First, an apology." He looked around at each of them as if studying them, comparing to the people he remembered. "I'm sorry to bring this to your door but it was the last desperate option I had."

"If I have the timing right you should have recently had your first experience with Darkseid and the forces of Apocalypse."

"Yeah, and that 'first experience' part sounds ominous." Kara said. "I take it this isn't a one off?"

"No. Over the next two decades those attacks get worse. A lot worse. We lost some good people along the way." A shadow passed across his face and the seven heroes around him glanced at each other wondering which of them had made it. "We delayed them, fought them back... bu in the end it was a hopeless fight."

"What happened?" Kara asked gently, not sure she really wanted to know the answer.

"Full scale invasion." Bruce said grimly. "In desperation we sent six of us to Apokolips to try and find some way to stop him."

"And you... failed?" Sara said but while it was asked as a question there was certainty in her voice.

Bruce gave a small, mirthless laugh. "Yes and no. We fought until...." he glanced across at Clark and just for a moment Kate saw pain etched on his face. "until we fell. Earth was devastated, half the population dead and only a matter of time for the rest as the planet died beneath them."

He looked over to Kate, held her gaze as he continued. "The survivors, human and alien, boarded every ship that could fly with Batwoman leading those heroes that remained to protect them. But Darkseid had been challenged, he had no intention of letting them go."

Kate had taken Kara's hand in hers and was holding her wife tightly. "Did I.... did they...."

"They lived." Bruce said.

"How?" Kate asked, disbelief in her voice.

"They had... hope."

All eyes turned to Kara and she swallowed hard, feeling like someone had just walked over her grave.

"Supergirl had been leading the fight on Earth and when it was clear that we'd failed she... you... entered the battle on Apokolips." Bruce hesitated, clearly wondering how much to say. "I'd never seen anything like it and neither had they. Armies fell. cities crumbled. She was power and rage incarnate, destroying anything that could harm that armada of refugees. But... no-one can stand against the lord of Apokolips, not forever."

He turned away as if ashamed. "Darkseid took her, imprisoned her, swore to torture her until she agreed to join him, to lead his forces across the universe. I managed to take a mother box and travelled here."

He snapped around, looking into every face in turn. "Understand this, he will succeed in his goal. Apokolips can twist even the strongest of us given enough time and when he does this, all of it, is for nothing. She will march to the source wall and get Darkseid the one thing he truly desires. The Anti-Life equation. Once he has that... it's over."

“So why come here?" Kate asked, her fingers white around Kara's hand.

"Because the only way to prevent this is to change my past, your future. We cannot face Darkseid head on but here and now he doesn't know you, any of you. Now, with surprise on your side, you may be able to find a way to stop this or at least delay it."

"So you want us to... what, take the League to Apokolips?" Jefferson asked and his skepticism was echoed by everyone present. "Just the seven of us against a force you couldn’t stop two decades from now knowing it was coming?"

"No." Bruce let his gaze fall on Kara and Kate. "Not seven of you."

"What... wait, just us?" Kate said, disbelief dripping from every syllable. "You want the two of us to take on a planet?"

"You don't need to take on the entire planet, just... find an edge we can use. Two may slip through defences designed to keep out armies."

"And if we don't?"

"Then the two of you can do more damage than any army." Bruce said with a knowing smile.

"Bruce this is crazy!" Clark interjected, stepping forward as if pleading for sanity.

"Yeah, at least I should go with them." Barry said. "It's not as if they're going to catch me!"

"If the speed force is used on Apokolips every alarm on the planet will go off." Bruce said calmly. "Clark, we need you here. Force won't win the day but a Kryptonian on Earth can hold back the tide if this... doesn't work."

"And the rest of us?" Sara demanded, her arms crossed and fire in her eyes.

"Would slow them down." Bruce said almost apologetically. "As a pair they can move quickly, any more and the chances of getting caught increase exponentially.”

“None of which actually helps us work out what we’re moving towards.” Kate pointed out. “Any idea what that edge you mentioned may be?”

“There’s one possibility that I know of though you may find a better option.” Bruce replied. “Apokolips maintains an arsenal that can threaten worlds, even galaxies. The weapon they used on Earth is called a Hellspore, designed to tunnel into the core of a planet and create a fire pit of molten magma. Just one has enough destructive power to render Earth uninhabitable. Darkseid launched ten against us.” He gave Kara an apologetic look. “Supergirl stopped nine of them but not even a Kryptonian can be everywhere at once. One made it through and that was that.”

“So we find them and destroy them?” Kara asked, her hand tightening into a fist.

“No, while they are difficult to manufacture Darkseid would certainly be able to replenish his supply if needed. My suit contains a cracking program designed to reprogram Apokoliptan tech. Get to the Hellspore vault, break their security and that program can set them to never arm if they’re targeted at Earth. Darkseid won’t know about the change until they fail to detonate. If that happens we buy time and Kara never goes to Apokolips when Earth is lost."

"How long until we’re ready?" Kate asked, not daring to look at Kara.

"We'd need to reprogram the mother box to avoid time travel. An hour, maybe two."

The two newlyweds turned and one look was all they needed. "Get it done." Kate said and the voice was one used to command. "We'll be waiting."


	4. Chapter 4

"I was wondering if you'd come talk to me." Bruce said with a tired sigh. "For what it's worth I'm sorry I had to come here."

"I'm not." Kate said and Bruce looked up in surprise. "I mean, yeah, it would have been nice to get a honeymoon on this planet rather than an alien war zone. But if the choice is maybe losing Kara today or having to lose her and maybe fight her in twenty years... there's no choice at all."

Bruce nodded. "You two..." he trailed off, his eyes shining. "You've... always been the best of us."

"Naturally." Kate said with a wink and then grew serious. "Bruce, you said that Kara was power and rage incarnate. What did you mean by that?"

Bruce winced. "I was hoping you might not notice that."

"Well I did so..."

"Kara is the kindest, most caring person I've ever met. She makes Clark look like Lex at times. But you need to understand Kate... within her lies the death of an entire world. Clark's too young to remember it but she saw Krypton perish and carries its culture, its memories, its spirit in her. There is rage in that woman the likes of which this universe has never seen. Push her too far and she may not be able to keep it at bay."

"And seeing a world dying under her..."

"Would press every button at once, yes."

Kate fell silent, thinking about his words, about how Kara had been after the Crisis and knew he was telling the truth. Quietly she asked: "What was she like? At the end I mean."

Bruce thought for a moment then answered honestly. "She was magnificent Kate. A guardian angel for the world." He hesitated as if wanting to say more then turned and gestured to the large metal crate that had tumbled through the boom tube with him.

"Which reminds me, your wedding present."

"You're kidding." She said flatly then took another look at his face. "You're not kidding."

"Open it."

Kate knelt down and pressed her hand to the identification panel. There was a pause as the security systems checked her biometrics then the crate cracked apart, fanning out as if it were a display piece. Across the sweep of the fan was a selection of familiar yet clearly upgraded weapons. Batarangs, grapple gun, smoke bombs, micro-explosives... the list was impressive but she had eyes only for the suit.

It gleamed in the crisp light of the Fortress, black as night with red highlights. Unlike her fabric suit this one was some odd flexible metal and it was slightly warm to the touch. 

"Of course you shouldn't have that." Bruce said matter of factly. "Future tech."

"What... is this Bruce?”

"My last Batsuit before I had to start relying on the exoframe and the armour. Built to keep me ahead of the criminals when my body couldn't anymore. Managed to split the boom tube and suck it in as I travelled here. It's not much but it might give you the edge you need."

She ran her hand over the bright red Bat logo then looked at him, suspicion flaring.

“New look for you?”

Bruce just chuckled. “I told you, you raised the mantle of the bat higher than I could. Didn’t feel right to keep my colours instead of following yours.”

"How do I...?"

"Undersuit's in the bottom, should be sized for you. The rest fits over the top just like your suit does. Once it's on it'll code to you." He turned and headed for the door. "I'll give you some privacy."

****

"You're sure about this Kara?" Clark asked, pausing in front of a door that was considerably more sturdy than the rest of the interior design.

"I wish I wasn't but yes." She replied, squaring her shoulders. "From what Bruce said we're stepping into a war zone. I'll take any advantage I can get."

"You know this is dangerous. He won't recognise you, this instance was created with the fortress, before you arrived here."

"It'll be alright Kal.” She said giving him a small, confident smile. “There’s nothing here for me to fear.”

The door rolled slowly aside and she stepped inside the dark chamber. Taking a breath she calmed herself, ignored the tombstone-like thud of the room sealing behind her. 

"My son, why do you come here." The voice echoed around her, impossibly loud in the confined space.

"To seek the help of Krypton in defending my home." She replied and there was a pause as if the answer was being weighed as she herself was evaluated.

"Who are you." The voice demanded and Kara suppressed a groan of pain as a panel in the far wall slid open to reveal a glowing green rock.

"Kara Zor-El. Daughter of Alura and Zor, your brother."

"Kara... Kal had told me you were lost when Krypton exploded."

"I was Jor, lost in the depths of the phantom zone. I arrived decades after Kal. I... I couldn't protect him as I should have."

"And what proof do you offer that you are who you claim to be?"

"Two years before Krypton's destruction you and my father discovered an illegal genetics lab on the outskirts of Argo. You led the council in seizing and destroying its creations to ensure the safety of Krypton's ecosystem. Every specimen except one. Ka-es, an experiment in cross breeding. I begged you to spare her. She was beautiful and you helped hide her, kept her safe despite knowing the risk that decision carried. Built a cloaked pasture for her and when we rode…”

“You were the wind.” Jor-El’s voice finished for her. The voice was silent for a long time and when it spoke again Kara was surprised at the emotion in the words. "Kara... I wish that you and Kal had been together in this world. Perhaps, however, this is how it had to be. Kal has grown here connected to both the planet and the people. Have you, too, formed such links?"

She swallowed, forcing back the regrets such thoughts always carried. "Until recently no, not to such an extent. Kal has a life here Jor, this is and always has been his home while I was a stranger. The family that took me in loved me and I them but it was still an alien world."

"And this has changed?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"I... found love. I found a home not in a place or even a people but with one person."

The unseen speaker seemed to soften. "Kara Zor-El, you have missed much so allow me to share with you this one secret of our lost home. Krypton was built on science, on strength, on knowledge and on a shared purpose. These things give us our society and many of our achievements. But all of them can trace the tale of their journeys back to love. Hold it close and you will be stronger for it."

"El Mayarah." Kara said softly and to her shock the voice of her long dead uncle laughed in agreement.

"Indeed Kara. And if the one who's won your heart sees that as well you will be a force few can match, of that I have no doubt. But you came here for a reason, to defend your home. Is this truly what you wish?"

"It is."

The hatch snapped closed, protecting her once again from the radiation pouring from the Kryptonite. "And Kal has told you of the danger?"

"He has and I do not fear it."

"Then the power of Krypton is yours. Wear it with pride and it shall serve you."

A light burst on, illuminating an indentation in the wall large enough to take a Kryptonian standing full height. Kara went to walk towards it then paused.

"Jor?"

"Yes Kara?"

"I don't know how much of you is really here but... you would be proud of Kal. He has been a champion for this planet, he has made the world a better place both with and without his powers and he is an outstanding father and husband. He is every bit the son you would have hoped him to be and more."

"Thank you Kara." She heard something in the words that a computer program, even one as advanced as this, should not have been able to project. Before she lost her nerve she stepped into the light and felt a hidden door whirl closed behind her. She took a breath... and screamed as the power of the sun flowed through her. The surface of the chamber burned, rippled, became plasma as Kara Zor-El found herself surrounded by the source of her power and embraced it as it pulsed through her and filled her like never before.


	5. Chapter 5

"Oh my god...." Sara Lance breathed as she caught sight of the figure stalking towards her down the corridor. Black armour, sharply angled almost like a stealth jet, the head covered in a full face mask with white eyes and mouth. On its chest was a blood red Bat logo and as its hands flexed the fingertips stretched into claws. Around its waist hung a belt of silver cylinders, a circular buckle in the centre.

"Kate?" Sara asked, cautiously. 

"Yeah... how'd you guess?" The figure replied and Sara relaxed, secure in the knowledge that was almost certainly Kate in the suit. An imposter likely wouldn't have jumped straight to sarcasm.

"How's it feel?"

"Strange. Like it's amplifying every movement. But it's so damn easy! Watch!"

She leapt vertically into the air from a standing start, clearing at least six foot before tumbling forward to land in a crouch, her hands suddenly full of evil-looking Batarangs.

"Woah..." Sara breathed.

"Pretty damn cool if you ask me!" Mia agreed walking over to them. "Muscle amplification?"

"Apparently." Kate replied. "I, uh, may need to buy Clark a new wall. Turns out it works on punches too."

"Oops." Sara winced in sympathy.

“Full heads-up display, automated everything, self-contained oxygen supply… Bruce really went nuts with the options list.” Kate said with a laugh.

“I miss the cape though.’ Mia said with a pout. “That was seriously ho… uh, I mean, intimidating. Yeah. Seriously intimidating.”

“Apparently it’s got one… kinda. But Bruce asked me to wait until I was outside to test that bit. Not sure why but he was smiling which is never a good sign.”

“Batman? Smiling?” Sara asked, shocked.

“Yeah, it’s as unnerving as you’d think… is it just me or is it getting brighter in here?”

“Uh, Kate… turn around.” Mia said, her eyes wide and locked on something over Kate’s shoulder. She spun and stared.

Kara was walking towards them but she was… glowing. Energy crackled over her arms and legs, arcing out only for the golden bands wrapped around her biceps, thighs and body to snag it and yank it back before it could earth itself. Her eyes glowed with golden light and her cape flared in the wake of the storm raging around her. With every step she seemed to pull the power further into herself, harnessing it, controlling it until she arrived in front of Kate looking like herself once more.

“What the hell…” Kate breathed. “Kara, are you….”

“I’m fine, really, I am.” Kara reassured her. “Kate… I walked on the sun!”

“I… I don’t understand.”

“This place captured Earth’s sun, rebuilt its power and contained it… then gave it to me.”

“Sorry, I really am but…” Kate was still clearly confused and Kara tried to focus past the euphoria flooding through her.

“Ever since I came to this planet my power has flowed from the sun. It’s been the wellspring of my strength from the moment my pod opened.” She breathed out and the smile on her lips could have warmed the world. “I’ve never drank so deep from that wellspring! It’s like… like living your entire life dipping a toe in a river then one day diving under the water.”

Kate reached out and without thinking caressed Kara’s cheek. To her surprise she felt only the soft warmth she had grown so used to and nothing else. She smiled and somehow knew Kara was looking beneath the cowl. "It didn't just make you stronger... it made you a poet." She whispered and Kara had to stifle a laugh.

"Uh, not to worry unnecessarily but isn't that, more or less, what Overgirl did before turning into the equivalent of a nuke?" Sara asked reluctantly.

"She didn't have the benefit of Kryptonian technology." Kara said gesturing to the new metal additions to her suit. "This armour helps me safely absorb the extra charge and keeps me topped up."

"And... if it gets broken?" Sara said quietly, her own concerns clearly written on her face.

"Then no recharge and I'll stabilise with just my regular old throw million ton spaceships off the planet before breakfast power levels." Kara said with a grin. "Don't worry, I'm not going to explode."

"You'd better not... that'd be really hard to explain to my dad when I have to cancel the ceremony." Kate said trying to keep the mood light. "Besides I need to borrow you. Bruce said to test the cape outside and to make sure you were around. Not entirely sure why but...?"

"Let's go, I should probably get used to flying like this anyway and it'll be an hour or so until the geek squad have the boom tube ready."

"Hey!" The more technically-minded group working on the mother box looked up offended only to blush as they realised they'd all said the same word at the same time. "Never mind..." Cisco muttered as they turned back to their work.

"By the way that's a good look on you." Kate said quietly as they headed out of the Fortress.

"What the gold accessories?"

"Well... yes, but I meant the glowing goddess vibe."

"Down girl!" Kara laughed. "We've got a job to do."

"Yeah yeah, you're not the one seeing you." Kate grumbled.

"Well don't get too used to it, this is definitely a one and done deal. Uh, aren't you cold in that suit?" Kara asked as the snow crunched under their boots.

"Actually no, it does a remarkably good job of temperature regulation. God knows where Bruce hid the AC though. You think this is far enough?"

"Assuming that thing doesn't suddenly sprout miniguns or something, yeah."

"Right... let's see what was so special about this caappppppeeeee!"

Kara blinked, frozen in shock as she replayed the events in her mind. One moment Kate had been standing there looking like a badass, then a short red cape had snapped out from the armour, following the lines of her arms and looking more like wings than a cape. Then there'd been a rush of power from her boots and she had hurtled into the sky! The sky... 

Kara shook herself out of her daze and launched after Kate, catching up as she reached the top of her ballistic arc and started heading back to the snow far, far below. Kara reached for her and Kate shook her head.

"No, not yet!" 

She concentrated, forcing herself to relax, held her arms out just as she did with her usual suit and felt the plates shift and morph into control surfaces. She caught the wind and her plummeting descent eased into a glide. She dipped an arm and went into a tight, twisting spiral to the right, straightened up and did the same to her left. She glanced over and saw Kara pacing her, clearly ready to snag her if needed but trusting her to do this herself.

Okay, Kate thought, let's see how good this suit is. She raised her shoulders, her arms lifting slightly as she looked upwards and with a silent pulse of power the boot jets fired, throwing her into the sky.

This time the cry was one of joy instead of surprise and she pulled her arms in, spinning like a top as she raced upwards. Curious now she threw her arms wide and shifted her body into a slight, airborne crouch. Instantly the thrust cut out and she felt gravity return but somehow it all felt natural as she fell in a predatory pose, the white eyes of the suit narrowed in concentration. 

And then Kara was alongside her, a hand extended in invitation and Kate took it without hesitation. Together they flew through the arctic night, twisting, tumbling... dancing Kate thought with a laugh. Kara's cape streamed behind her and Kate snapped around, chasing it like a cat after a laser pointer. Sometimes she snagged it, sometimes she missed and sometimes she 'accidentally' grabbed her wife's ass. 

They came together, corkscrewing upwards, their palms pressed together and the only thing either could hear was the laughter of the other. At the top of the arc Kara let herself fall and Kate zipped down to grab her, grinning fit to burst at getting to ‘save’ Kara from the drop for a change. Of course she knew that if Kara really wanted to there was no hope any tech, not even future Bruce Wayne Batsuit tech, could keep up with the Girl of Steel but it was close enough for Kate Kane to let go and revel in the feeling of soaring alongside her wife.

They glided back down to the snow and ice, Kara making sure she could catch Kate if the landing proved tougher than the take off. She needn't have worried as Kate slid to a perfect landing as if she'd been born to it. She turned to Kara, the cowl folding away at a thought and her breath steamed as she talked.

"That was amazing! Is that... is that how you feel?"

"Pretty much." Kara laughed.

"How do you ever keep your feet on the ground?"

"I've got good reasons to." Kara said leaning in to kiss Kate, the warmth rising from the suit just about avoiding the need to explain to, well, everyone why their lips were frozen together.

"So... ready to go to an alien planet and stop an unstoppable god?" Kara asked with a wry smile.

"After that, make it two gods." Kate said happily before letting the cowl snap back into place.

"Kate... you know this is going to be ridiculously dangerous, right?"

"Yeah, yeah I know. But it's got to be done and *if* it's got to be done I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have at my side than you."

"Same." Kara took her hand and squeezed it. "Whatever happens next we'll get through it."

Kate squeezed back. "Stronger together, right?"

"Always!"


	6. Chapter 6

Supergirl and Batwoman hit the ground running, sprinting to get away from the site of the Boom Tube’s arrival. While they couldn’t be sure it’d set off any alarms it was hardly a stealthy means of travel and the last thing they needed was to be in a fight from the first moment of their time on Apokolips. The walls around them were tall, grey stone with odd symbols carved into them and lines of what could be text running the length of each wall. Kara glanced around and ducked under Kate’s arm, wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her up, flying along but keeping them both vertical and well below the top of the wall. The street gave way to a twisting rat run of small passages and she took turns at random, trying to give any hunters too many options to easily track them down. 

They took one last turn and burst out on to a narrow ledge overlooking a canyon. They stopped and stared at the scene before them, trying to comprehend what their eyes insisted was real. The landscape was shattered rubble, grey and black rock tumbled into jagged mountains and steep cliffs. Below rivers of molten magma flowed and writhed, flames bursting from it surface seemingly at random. In the distance they could make out a giant metal ring thrust into the landscape and from it fire leapt and scorched the sky.

From across the world came a constantly shifting song of misery, groans and cries interspersed with screams in a never-ending blizzard of languages. The wind howled, hot and stinging as it rose from the rivers of flame below carrying ash and death with it. To their right an enormous squat metal building hung on the side of a cliff, its walls scared and foreboding. To their left rested what they could only consider a castle, ancient turrets reaching into the sky and providing a clear view of its shattered realm. 

"What... what do we do?" Kara whispered, trying to process the horror of such a place. Here even her hope failed in the face of utter despair. She felt a hand slip into hers and glanced down, surprise to see the bare human flesh.

"We carry on." Kate whispered as she lifted Kara's chin with her free hand, trying not to wince as the winds slashed at her face and hands where she'd pulled the armour away.  
Kara nodded, her world centring as she looked into Kate’s eyes and found a point to anchor herself on. "Any idea where?"

"Uh... hang on..." Kate let the cowl slam back into place and ran her eyes over the displays. "According to Bruce's data that should be a barracks." She pointed to the metal cube. "In theory at least there ought to be a connection from there to the armory." 

"Oh good." Kara said. "And I thought this was going to be difficult."

"Well it's better than trying that thing." Kate waved a hand towards the castle. "Pretty sure that's somewhere we really, really want to avoid."

"You have a point. Still I can't see this being a quiet one."

"Why not? For all we know the residents here are so downtrodden that one look at you and they'll fall to their knees in prayer."

"Seems unlikely." Kare said with a small smile and shake of the head as she snagged Kate and started to fly them through the canyons towards their target.

"You'd be surprised. I mean, I've got to actively work to avoid doing that at least once a day." 

"Yes but you're easily distracted."

"Only by you love."

Kara chuckled, appreciating the efforts Kate was going to in order to keep her distracted from the world around them. "Flattery will get you everywhere." She teased. "But right now we probably ought to get our game faces on."

"Yeah, you might have a point there... Hmm, see that rock outcrop to the left?"

"Yep, got it, good eyes."

"Best that future money can buy."

"Hang on and be ready to bail out if there's anything pointed in this direction." Kara advised, swooping in as quickly as she dared before letting Kate go to roll to a halt an arms length from the metal wall. They froze as both checked out the surrounding area for any movement from hidden guards or weapon systems but when nothing presented itself they relaxed a little.

"Any idea on the best way in?" Kara asked glancing around to keep an eye on the area.

"Uh.... no." Kate admitted. "Bruce had a basic layout but the details are lacking. Can you see through the walls?"

"Hang on... yeah, though that's a really thick wall!"

"Great, so a quick entrance isn't exactly likely?"

"Not through here but maybe down there." Kara pointed at the sloping wall below that had nothing below it but a straight drop to lava.

"You're kidding, right?"

"Unfortunately no. Looks like there's a service level behind there, I can probably carve us an entrance in about ten seconds."

"Oh good." Kate sighed, eyeing up the proposed route and the surging magma below it. "On the plus side we're not likely to have anyone sneak up behind us."

"And you can fly now so...."

"Yeah but only so long as the suit works!"

"If we get to a point where that's an issue there'll be bigger problems."

"Oh that's fantastic motivation, it really is." Kate grumbled. "What happened to all those hopeful, us against the Universe speeches?"

"That *was* the hopeful, us against the Universe speech." 

"Terrific. Alright, fine, let's do it. Probably won't be the stupidest thing we do today."

"Yes Ma'am!" Kara said saluting and pretending not to see Kate's reluctant grin beneath the cowl. She lifted off and moved slowly down, staying as close as she dared to the building until she found a suitable spot with what looked like a secure and unoccupied space behind it. She focused her heat vision on the metal and almost gasped out loud as she felt the power leap from her, the glare white rather than her usual blue. In a few moments she'd cut a suitable entrance and caught the lump of wall as it fell. 

Kate waited for Kara to move aside then fired the suit jets and shot past into the corridor beyond. It was surprisingly dark even with the glow from the lava flows bouncing in through the new hole and she took a second to check out her surroundings. A mass of pipework and humming energy conduits that looked like something out of Alien and, unfortunately, offering just as many hiding places. The corridor itself was about seven foot tall and Kate tried not to think about what that said for the sort of beings expected to use it. Behind her there was a quiet scrape of metal as Kara eased the wall back into place after quickly slicing off a few inches from one side and the top. She used her heat vision to spot weld it into place on one side, just enough to hold it but one solid blow would send it spiralling free. It wasn't a perfect cover but it'd hide the hole from a casual glance and still give them an exit if they needed it.

"Which way?" Kate whispered as Kara checked out their surroundings and pointed down the corridor. Carefully they made their way deeper into the barracks, every sense straining for hints that they'd been discovered. The passage twisted and turned as it snaked under the training floors above but they didn't spot any obvious entrance points. Kara was in front and suddenly held up a hand pointing up. Kate listened and could just about make out a metallic sound as something heavy moved quickly above them.

"Group of creatures I don't recognise." Kara whispered, her lips an inch from the cowl. "Some sort of training exercise."

Her explanation was interrupted by a monstrous howl from the room above. Kara swung her gaze upwards and almost recoiled. "Some sort of... wolf, maybe? But it's huge! Seven foot tall at least."

There was a screech of claws on metal, not just moving over the surface but digging in as the creature accelerated then a blood-curdling scream echoed through the corridor.

“No translation needed…” Kate said sombrely. “And this counts as training for them?”

Kara just nodded grimly. “Come on, let’s get this done and never come back!”

“Sounds good to me.” Kate muttered as they moved deeper into barracks.

“Well this isn’t good.” Kate said quietly, her cowl showing the feed from the tiny remote camera she’d thrown across the wide corridor. 

“You’re sure that’s the only way?”

“According to Bruce’s data, yeah. The passage to the armoury is just down there, off to the right.”

“Which might explain the small army of Parademons.” Kara pointed out.

“It’s not the Parademons I’m worried about it’s that… thing.” Kate said nodding towards the creature clearly in charge of the guards. Its head almost brushed the tall ceiling but it was the sheer bulk of its body that told of obvious power. Massive arms and legs, almost as wide around as Kate’s entire body. His neck was so side it seemed to just be a continuation of his head giving him an almost squat appearance until you remembered how large his surroundings were. Black hair poured from his skull giving him a wild, animalistic appearance but the intelligence in the eyes was clear even from this distance.

“Yeah, he could be a problem.” Kara agreed.

“So you take him, I’ll take the Parademons?” Kate suggested and to her surprise found an almost apologetic Kara putting a hand on her arm.

“No… we’re not here to fight, remember?”

“Well if you’ve got another way around to the armoury I’m all for it!”

“No…” 

Kate threw the Girl of Steel a sharp look as she realised where she was going with this. “Oh no, no way. Kara I know you’re, well, super but you can’t distract an entire planet!”

“Not forever but for long enough. I can buy you enough time to get to that armoury and sabotage the Hellspores then we get the, uh, hell out of here.”

“Or we just pile in, take out the Parademons first then you take care of the oversized Wolverine knock-off while I do the Bat thing.”

Kara shook her head. “No, if he saw there were two of us he’ll surely call in reinforcements. If it just looks like one invader he might stay focused on her.”

Kate ground her teeth, her mind racing. “But… damn, I hate it when you’re right.”

“Yeah, me too.” Kara said with feeling. “Just get it done fast, okay? I really don’t want to have to fight several armies.”

“Faster than a speeding hacker.” Kate said. “Alright, fine, I’ll stay here while you Leeroy Jenkins those idiots.”

Kara chuckled. “Actually that’s not entirely my style when it comes to distractions…”


	7. Chapter 7

Kalibak was, not to put too fine a point on it, bored. He hated wasting his talents like this but the armoury needed a guard and all of Almighty Darkseid’s generals did a shift here every cycle. Which would have been bad enough, he thought, but he could hear the sounds and smells of battle from the training levels, the delicious screams reaching up and calling to him. That truly was torture, being denied the pleasure of the fight. 

He was broken from his sulking when a Parademon called out a challenge. He swung around, curious… only to stop and stare in confusion. A blonde female had appeared in the corridor, her red, blue and gold suit a stark contrast to the drab colours of Apokolips. Equally out of place were her actions. Rather than running towards them in challenge or running away in fear she was… dancing. Coming closer, yes, but slowly, her limbs moving with noticeable grace as she shuffled and twirled and slid her way forward. 

She was, he realised, beautiful and he grinned. Beauty was something so rarely found on Apokolips and it was the height of ecstasy to slowly tarnish and destroy it, at least as far as Kalibak was concerned. He let her approach, making notes of her physique, of where he would start her torment, of how he would tear her apart piece by agonised piece. She passed the leading edge of his guard, her dance slowing to a more seductive sway as she moved closer to him. He practically drooled at the gift that had walked into his presence, resolving to leave her face for last. The eyes, in particular, he thought… the eyes had to be preserved. Well… maybe not both, he conceded. Maybe he would blind her in one of them to start, pierce the iris with a needle, let the knowledge of what awaited the remaining one simmer in her mind.

She gave one last spin and finished nose to nose with him. Even her scent was intoxicating, he thought, such purity… he wished he could bottle it to remind him how far she’d fallen once the dirt and fire of this place had truly claimed her. And it was then that he realised she was, indeed, nose to nose with him. He glanced down and saw she was floating two foot in the air. He looked back in time to see her wink and headbutt him so hard he flew back into the wall behind him, stars bursting in front of his eyes.

The stars were replaced by brilliant white fire as she spun again, far faster this time, and searing beams leapt from her eyes to ensure his guards wouldn’t be joining the fight anytime soon, if ever again. He snarled and pulled himself back to his feet.

“Who are you woman!” He yelled. “Who dares defy the will of Almighty Darkseid!”

“Supergirl!” She replied “And I’m just here for you!” Without another word she hurled herself at Kalibak, tackling him in the gut and shoving him through the wall he’d just hit, then another and another, carving a path through, up and out of the barracks using him as a battering ram. They tumbled onto a rocky outcrop and Kalibak brought his hands together, slamming them down into the small of her back. The woman grunted and let go, rolling clear before coming up in a fighting stance that spoke of long training. He realised, belatedly, that his hands were stinging from the impact against her body and he snarled as he recognised his true desire in front of him. Finally a worthy challenge for his might!

Kate slipped from hiding after the remote camera had confirmed none of the unfortunate Parademons were going to be raising an alarm. Quickly she made her way to the armoury door and her heads-up display flashed an instruction. She pressed a palm to the lock and there was an odd feeling as the suit shifted, interfacing with the alien tech and sending a series of passcodes into the system. With a surprisingly quiet click the door opened and she hurried into the tunnel with one last, quick look back at the wreckage Kara had left behind. Part of her wanted nothing more than to go help her wife but the mission had to come first. Besides, she thought with a slight smile, a much larger part of her felt sorry for the creature that was taking her on!

To her surprise she didn’t meet any additional guards or even security systems on the way to the cavernous halls of weapons held deep beneath the surface of this shattered world. Then again, she thought, if someone had made it through an entire barracks of guards, gotten past the elite squad holding the door and cracked the security systems any additional steps would likely just be a pain for anyone needing to get in the place legitimately. The thing about armouries, she thought grimly flashing back to her army training, was that while you really wanted to keep their contents safe they also tended to be places you needed to access in one hell of a hurry.

All around her weapons of war gleamed in silent racks, awaiting the signal to unleash death. She wished she had time to destroy them all, to tear apart this dreadful place piece by piece. But she was worried enough about Kara as it was, delaying longer than necessary wasn’t high on her to do list. She was just wondering how she was ever going to find the Hellspores in amongst the labyrinth when she noticed something unusual. A second sealed door, this one only large enough to admit one person at a time even if that one was as big as the monster Kara was currently fighting. She made her way over to it and once again the future Batsuit came through, easily breaking the security and granting her access. She stepped inside and whistled quietly. 

On racks in front of her were hundreds of what she could only assume were the Hellspores. They were smaller than she’d expected, around the size of a basketball, and they all glowed with a menacing red gleam from carved patterns in their black onyx surfaces. She brought up her right arm and a screen popped on. Quickly she brought up the program as Bruce had shown her and felt the slight snap as a drone dropped away from a point halfway along her forearm. It drifted silently down to the nearest sphere and started working to install the new programming. 

She was about to take up a guard position at the door when she paused, an idea hitting her. She glanced at the wall separating her from the power to conquer galaxies and considered. Yes, they may be able to save Earth from these terrible things but what about other planets? What about Earth itself once Darkseid realised he had to find another option, it wasn’t like he was short of them after all. An ace in the hole was good but useless if you didn’t have any other cards to go with it. She brought up the gauntlet and slowly, carefully, adjusted the command sequence. Her mouth was dry as she put in the new instructions but to her surprise her hands were steady. She wasn’t entirely sure what that said about her but was relatively certain she didn’t particularly like it.

Changes made she crouched down, watching the drone at work as it busied itself with its new task. There was the tiniest glow of flickering blue light from underneath it, a nice contrast to the harsh red that spilled from the Hellspore. A signal pinged in her display and the drone disengaged, reorienting itself to fly to the next Hellspore in line. She reached out and gently picked up the reprogrammed sphere, attaching it carefully to her belt and she felt the suit shift around it, creating another pouch around it and adjusting for the extra weight. She moved back to the door, melting into the shadows as she waited nervously for the little drone to work its way through the other 499 bombs…


	8. Chapter 8

Kalibak was starting to worry. He had thrown blow after blow at the woman and while a few had hit she’d simply shrugged them off. Worse, as far as he was concerned, she was moving so quickly that most of his punches and kicks only hit empty air. The smile didn’t help, that small knowing smile that was mocking him with every missed punch, every kick that failed to move her more than a fraction of an inch backwards. 

Kara saw the next blow coming, a wild right hand thrown with tremendous force but no control. Finally, she thought, ducking under the massive hand and coming up with an uppercut to his chin that sent him sprawling into the dirt. She didn’t follow up, wanting to see how quickly the brute regained his senses and was surprised to see him looking for her almost before his back hit the ground. Rolling to all fours he growled and launched himself forward, crossing the space faster than she’d expected. She launched upwards but his stretching fingers just managed to snag her cape.

He snarled in triumph and went to reach up for her foot only to almost have the cape snapped from his grasp as she tried to jerk herself upwards. He held on, planted his feet and started to turn, using her momentum against her, spinning her faster and faster, a blur of red and blue. Remembering the burning, brilliant light that had poured from her eyes and fried his honour guard he tried to pick out a mountain range in the blur of shattered landscape passing his gaze. Finding a target he timed his spin and let go, sending her hurtling away across Apokolips, tumbling out of control to smash… 

Kalibak gulped. It wasn’t a mountain range. It was the imposing wall of a castle. The castle. His lord’s home… and he’d just delivered a clearly dangerous opponent to the doorstep. Well, through the doorstep and deep inside. He raced towards the imposing building, leaping over the canyons of fire without care, focused only on holding her head before Darkseid to atone for his mistake.

The little drone was almost halfway done when Kate heard the ominous clatter of feet on the hard floor and saw a troop of Parademons march into the vault. She eased the door closed behind her and slipped away into the stacks of weapons, trying to distance herself from her true objective. They didn’t seem to know for sure she was in here but someone had clearly noticed the mess upstairs and she wasn’t keen on giving them any time to discover her true objective. At least not until the drone had done its work.

Once she was almost a quarter of the way around the enormous chamber she took a deep breath, walked up behind one of the bugs, tapped it on the shoulder then punched its lights out as it turned around. The punch was delivered with a force she could only have previously dreamt of and she smiled viciously behind the cowl. She may be trapped and alone on an alien planet facing a small army of, well, demons… but she had the tools to deal with the problem and that was all Kate Kane needed.

She dove forward, hands outstretched as she felt the suit shift its fingers into talons that sliced through armour as if it was mist. She raced into the middle of the swarm, fists and feet flying at any target that presented itself, the crunch of bone and cries of pain evidence that her initial plan was working at least for now. Every eye was focused on her, thoughts of searching abandoned as they found the danger and rushed to kill it.

She threw herself upwards, the suit enhancing her muscles and letting her leap up to the top of a rack twenty feet above the ground. She hurled a smoke bomb behind her and was surprised as the entire area seemed to vanish beneath a thick pall of oily black smoke. It looked like it wasn't just the suit that had benefited from a couple of decades worth of tech advances. She waited patiently and, sure enough, a parademon rose from the smoke, its wings blurring as it searched for her. To its regret it found her and a punch to its face shattered the protective goggles and sent it falling back into the rolling black cloud. A second one followed it and got a boot for its troubles then the cloud boiled as the rest noticed where their fellows had fallen.

Kate raced down the rack, jumped to a new position and ducked down to hang off the back of a giant mechanised suit. She let the first few Parademons in a pursuing column fly by before snagging the last around the throat with a grapple. As it dropped with a choked squark of surprise she dove through the rest of the column as it turned around, spinning like a top, one arm extended to shred metal, flesh and bone. The last of them managed to grab her but she lashed out with her right leg, doubling the thing over and leaving it gurgling on the floor. She hurled more smoke bombs as far as she could, turning the entire vault into a dark nightmare for her pursuers.

She prowled the corridors, the suit letting her see just as well as she could in broad daylight. One by one she took them down, quickly, viciously and usually without more than a gentle thud to let the rest know what was going on. No matter how many she dropped though there always seemed to be more and on two occasions she heard the pounding of feet as more and more of them joined the fight.

Finally a confirmation popped up in her display. The drone was done and there was no going back now. She tapped her belt once to make sure the single Hellspore was still where it should be then took a deep breath, calming herself. The smoke was finally starting to clear and she could make out the entrance to the vault and the dim, menacing shapes of Parademons surrounding her. For a moment the situation overwhelmed her. She was a mere human playing alongside gods, surrounded by demons in the closest thing to hell she could imagine... what in the name of sanity was she doing here? No... no, she thought, pushing the doubts aside. She couldn't, wouldn't think like that. She knew her role, knew that no matter how difficult she would find a way to do it whatever the cost, knew how many were depending on her and first amongst them the woman she loved. She looked around and with a wordless cry of challenge ignited her jets and hurtled out of the vault, twisting and turning as she raced up the passage towards the barracks, towards the surface and towards Kara.

Supergirl groaned as she picked herself out of the rubble. Stupid, she thought angrily, she should never have let him get that close! Playing for time was all very well but this needed to end and she had to get to Kate, get them both out of here! She concentrated, let the world in past her usual instinctive blocks, heard the fall of ash, heard the cries of despair... heard the footsteps as they rushed towards her. With a grim smile she set herself and as Kalibak burst in through the hole she'd made he found a very angry Kryptonian coming the other way, her fist connecting perfectly with his jaw. He flew back and up, smashing through the levels of the palace, Kara chasing after him and landing blow after blow, making sure that when he landed he wouldn't be getting back up. They crashed to a halt on a black marble floor, Kara rolling clear and coming up in a crouch, her fists raised in case she'd misjudged. Kalibak groaned, coughing up blood as he turned slowly to look at her. No... no she realised with a sudden feeling of horror. Not at her. He was looking behind her...

"Father..." Kalibak croaked and from behind her came the a voice so deep she felt it in her bones.

"Once again you have failed me my son."

Kara turned, sure that this wasn't a trick, that Kalibak was no threat to her. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the figure sitting before her in a throne of rock, his grey skin craggy and almost blending with the throne. He was massive but more normally proportioned than his son though if anything that simply made him more intimidating. His eyes burned red and she was under no illusions about who and what sat before her. 

"Darkseid." She said, trying to keep her tone even while her insides knotted in terror. Her future self had fought this being and lost, what chance did she have?

"And you have not even introduced me to our guest." Darkseid said in disdain. He stood in one smooth movement and Kara had to fight to stay where she was. He was huge, at least nine foot tall and towered over her. But it was his presence that threatened to overwhelm her, here was something beyond even her powers and she couldn't remember ever facing such a force. Not even the Anti-Monitor had been like this despite the power he commanded.

"Supergirl, Lord Darkseid." She said, handling her own introduction. "And it was not my intention to disturb you. I just needed to teach this... pup a lesson." She put as much arrogance into her words as she could, horribly aware that it was likely a pointless effort.

"Hmm." Darkseid rumbled. "For all his failings my son is an accomplished fighter. To have bested him speaks highly of your powers and skill." He eyed her appraisingly. "Perhaps there is a place here for you on Apokolips at my side."

"I'm honoured but have commitments elsewhere my lord."

"You misunderstand." He said casually, waving a hand. "It was not an offer. If there is a place for you here then here you will stay."

Oh well, Kara thought, so much for diplomacy. "As I told you, I have a commitment elsewhere." she said and was suddenly flying head over heels backwards through the wall, bursting out of the castle to fall to the courtyard far below. She smashed into the rock and groaned, a shaking hand clutching her stomach. She'd never seen him move or been hit that hard! Oh others had done more damage but never in one shot! She rolled to her hands and knees in time to see him descend almost regally to the ground, his hands behind his back as he walked over to her casually. She gathered herself but before she could move a boot slammed into her chin and sent her tumbling to the right.

Before she could get her head straight the boot found her again, this time kicking the back of her head and sending her face first into the rock. She heard a crunch of gravel and his huge hand had grabbed the back of her skull, lifting her up to look at him.

"Still alive. Impressive. You do indeed belong here."

"Never!"

"A year or two as a plaything for Granny and my Furies will convince you otherwise." He almost smiled as he said it and missed her right arm swinging around. Her fist arrived with the force of a comet and he fell back, knocked off balance with a grunt of pain and surprise. She smashed into him, left hand sinking into his gut, feet driving down to batter his knees, a flurry of punches sending him flying up to land on his back in the middle of the courtyard.

He drew himself up, a look of surprise etched on his face. Kara hung in the air, floating, her arms folded across her chest. She could feel the power of Earth's sun within her, pounding in her heart, yearning to be set free.

"What are you..." Darkseid asked, curiosity rather than fear in his voice.

"Let me show you." She launched forward, a single blow knocking him to a knee.

"I feel like I live in a world made of glass." Her knee caught him under the chin and he grunted in pain. 

"Always having to control myself, to think about every movement so I don't break something... someone." She punched down this time, hitting the back of his head and sending him face first to the ground as he'd done to her.

"But you... you're something else aren't you? You can take it..." She slammed a boot into his ribs and to her quiet astonishment heard him grunt in pain. 

"So what we have is here is a rare opportunity for me to let go and show you just how powerful I really am." She growled the last words and threw away the instincts and control she'd developed over two decades, embraced her Kryptonian side like never before. Her body blurred as she yanked Darkseid up by his throat and threw him straight up into the air. The air screamed behind her as she raced up behind him, waited at a point just below the top of the arc and hit him with an overhand right that sent him hurtling across his world, smashing through mountains and buildings.

As he entered an open space Kara appeared in front of him, moving so fast she seemed to teleport. She bunched her fists and drove them both down into his spine as he flew past, sending him plummeting straight down to the rock below. He hit so hard an explosion of dust and pulverised rock burst into the air and left him at the centre of a wide crater, breathing hard and, astonishingly, bleeding from his nose. She stood in front of him and glared.

"I just want to leave in peace. Stop this now and I'll go."

"As... as I said." Darkseid grunted. "You belong here!" His left hand flicked something towards her and before she could react a glowing, sparkling energy field wrapped itself around her. It caressed her, flowing along her limbs and sinking glowing fangs into every nerve of her body. Power pulsed and she screamed into the night, her world dissolving into pain.


	9. Chapter 9

Batwoman burst from the barracks using the same hole Supergirl had made using Kalibak as a battering ram. She soared into the night, arms pulled tight to her body, straining for speed as a cloud of Parademons boiled from the hole behind her, a nightmare swarm trying to pull her back into hell. She banked hard, falling towards the lava river, the jets screaming as she pushed them to their limits. She levelled out as low as she dared and heard the screams behind her as several of her pursuers misjudged the dive and plunged into the inferno. 

Her breath came in short rapid panting gulps as she twisted and turned through the canyons, the suit almost a fighter jet now rather than simple armour. Control services rose and fell, the information sleeting through her heads up display racing by almost faster than she could keep up. She didn't dare look back but the occasional crunch of bone on rock and despairing howl spoke of her pursuit not being quite as agile, quick or skilled.

She turned a corner and there before her was the enormous curved steel wall that separated the fire pit from the rest of Apokolips. She yanked her body up, shifting her headlong flight into a dizzying vertical ascent that had black pools swimming at the edge of her vision. She fought for control, for consciousness as she hurled a handful of Batarangs into the metal. A carpet of smoke burst from the first wave, hissing out behind her in a wavering green haze. The second wave detonated a moment later, igniting the cloud and sending a boiling explosion racing in all directions, It consumed the Parademons and she felt the edge reach her boots before she burst over the top of the wall and dropping down the other side, claws reaching to grab hold of the lip before tumbling into the pit.

She hung for a moment, trying to breathe, trying to assure herself she was still alive. When neither her own senses or the suit could pick up any more signs of pursuit she sighed in relief then got to work. Carefully she let go with her left hand and grabbed a laser cutter from her belt. She carved a small hole in the immense metal wall, angling it down to hide the contents from view. Then she delicately pulled the Hellspore from her belt and slid it into the hole. Satisfied it wasn't going to be easily discovered or simply roll out she pulled herself back up to stand on the lip of the wall and took stock of her surroundings. 

A scream echoed across the landscape and Kate's head snapped around. She would have known the voice anywhere and Kate's soul cried in terror at the sound. Without thinking she threw herself into the sky, arrowing towards the cry with murder in her heart.

Darkseid had pulled himself back to his feet and was once again standing over Supergirl with a calm air, his hands behind his back. "It's called the agony matrix." He said watching seemingly fascinated as Kara writhed in the sparkling field. "Direct stimulation of every pain receptor in your body all at once." His voice was almost conversational as he nudged the Girl of Steel over to her back with a foot. "Imagine the worst pain you've ever felt multiplied a thousand fold. Now imagine that pain continuing forever."

He crouched down over Kara's spasming body, her head thrown back, her mouth open in a silent scream of anguish. "Oh that's right... you don't have to imagine." There was satisfaction in his voice at besting this problematic woman. He went to straighten up when something hit him on the back of the head. He turned in time to see Batwoman use the momentum of her kick to flip away and land in a crouch in the middle of the crater.

"Let her go!"

"No. She is mine."

"I won't ask again!" She said in a deathly calm tone as she thumbed a control on her gauntlet. There was a crack of power from the horizon and the firepit exploded upwards, a fountain of magma bursting out of its captivity and flooding down on the planet below.

"You DARE!" Darkseid roared and backhanded Kate so hard she flew across the crater to crash into the far wall. She cried out as the impact savaged her body, only the advanced suit saving her from a dozen broken bones. From behind him he heard a faint scraping sound and turned to see the impossible. Supergirl, her body still wrapped in the agony matrix, was clawing her way to her feet, hands digging in to the rock.

"No... no-one can withstand that." He said, shocked. Kara, every muscle shaking with the pain, turned to face him and her eyes flared red, power boiling the air just as the firepit was doing to the planet.

"BURN!" She screamed and a wave of flame engulfed the lord of Apokolips. The pain slashed at her body but the power rose to meet it, driven by one thought. Protect Kate. She could feel it pulse through her, the heart of a sun coursing in her blood and bones, the unimaginable heat and flame torching all that stood before it. The Agony Matrix flared, its own power trying to resist but it was everywhere, in every nerve and across every part of her. She couldn't escape it but nor could it flee from her. The flame burnt it, overloaded it and with a shower of energy it burst apart. Kara fell, gasping to her hands and knees, looking up to see Kate... and froze.

Before her was a molten, bubbling mass of black rock and lying in the middle of it was Darkseid. And he was getting back to his feet. His skin bubbled and blistered, pain clear in his movements but he was getting up! She had to do the same, had to fight, had to save Kate...

"Darkseid." Batwoman called the name and it came through clenched teeth, the hiss of pain clearly audible. "Enough."

"You... do not command here." Darkseid ground out, slowly moving towards Kara.

"Oh but I do. That explosion was one of your own Hellspores. I planted it in the firepit so it could contain the blast. That, my 'lord' was a warning."

"Impossible." Darkseid hissed, turning towards Kate as she struggled to her feet.

"Encryption code Omega Lambda Seven..." Kate was interrupted by Darkseid closing the distance and grabbing her by the throat, lifting her off the ground.

"What have you done!"

"Armed them..." Kate hissed the words, fighting for breath as the suit tried to resist the dreadful pressure. "Kill me and they blow. All of them."

Darkseid paused then threw her back to the ground and stalked over to Kara. She threw a punch but her body had endured too much and there was no strength in it. He blocked it easily, grabbed her wrist and crushed the gold band around her bicep with a single squeeze. Kara felt her bones creak and cried out.

"Disarm the Hellspores or this one dies."

"No."

Darkseid kept his grip on Kara's bicep but released her wrist, grabbing her other arm and crushing that band too, pulling her up in front of him in an obscene crucification. 

"Disarm them."

"If I do you'll kill us both." Kate said.

"Disarm them." Darkseid started to pull, stretching the girl of steel to her breaking point. Gritting her teeth, forcing the pain away with sheer willpower she lowered her head to look straight at Batwoman. 

"Don't do it. Please. I... I love you." She said and there was a calmness in her eyes that cut through anything as clumsy as words. If this was the end then she was at peace with it.

"And that's why you'll lose today." Kate said, her eyes fixed on Darkseid. "Because two..." she almost said humans and bit back her words to keep their world a secret. "two people in love came to your world willing to sacrifice everything for billions of lives. Kill her if you want but you, me and the rest of Apokolips will be right behind her. And I'll be with her in whatever comes after this life. I wonder what awaits you..."

Kara felt the pressure build, felt her body buckle but tried to keep her eyes on Kate. If these were her last moments then let them be of beauty she thought. And then, suddenly, she was flying through the air and landed in a heap at Kate's feet. 

"What do you wish?" Darkseid said but the menace was clear in his voice.

"You will swear to never again attack my world." Kate said and Kara looked up shocked at the steel in her voice. "You will not attempt to remove the programming on the Hellspores or they will explode. You will not attempt to move the Hellspores or they will explode. Leave them alone and they will deactivate, one a year until they are all inert. Oh, and one more thing..."

She pulled Kara up to her feet and the girl of steel stood next to her, tall and strong as just being near her wife fuelled her better than a yellow sun ever could. "You will foreswear this woman. You will not pursue her or make any attempt to recruit her, willing or no, to your forces or ends."

"You would kill every soul on Apokolips for this?" Darkseid asked and once again he seemed calm.

"To save my world? To save her? Yes."

There was a pause as if Darkseid was reading her mind and heart despite the armoured cowl. Then he nodded, throwing Batwoman a mother box. "Go. Give me the co-ordinates for your world and I will honour the arrangement."

Kate hesitated then keyed in the codes Bruce had given her. The boom tube opened with a crack and they slowly backed towards it. 

"Go." She hissed to Kara. "Don't argue with me, I can feel you shaking from the effort to stand. Go, I'll be right behind you."

Reluctantly Kara stepped back and shot away, falling back down the tube towards what she hoped was the Fortress. Kate stood still, staring at Darkseid.

"If she had tried this she'd have lost." Darkseid said. "There is a light within her that would have prevented it. You..." He paused, looking Kate up and down. "You carry darkness wherever you go."

Kate laughed mockingly. "And that's why you should fear us. Together there's nothing we won't do to protect what we love. Keep that in mind if you consider breaking our deal." She tapped her gauntlet and held a key. "Remember I can detonate any Hellspores that remain armed with a thought. When I let this go the disarming sequence will start, see you in five centuries." She stepped back and lifted her finger, expecting a trick even now. Instead she saw Darkseid standing impassive as she fell back through space, rushing away from her along with the horror of his world.

"Well played..." Darkseid muttered, staring at the space where the two heroes had left his realm. The mother box had remained behind and he picked it up, checking the coordinates were securely stored. Certainly their world, wherever it was, deserved closer examination and while a direct assault may be forbidden Apokolips had many agents more than suitable for such a task...


	10. Chapter 10

Kara fell as she burst from the boom tube, the cool floor of the Fortress a welcome relief after the ash and fire of Apokolips. She rolled slowly out of the way and lay panting until, a minute later, Kate appeared beside her and landed flat on her back, staring up at the ceiling. Kara's golden amour was crushed on her arms, the rest battered almost beyond recognition. The future Batsuit was smoking and smouldering, scorch marks on its armour where it had gotten a little too close to the lava. 

Kate reached out, groping blindly as the cowl retracted, sucking in great gulps of the fresh air of her home world. Her fingers found Kara's questing hand and they grabbed hold, working together to pull each other closer until Kara could throw an arm over her wife and hold her tightly.

"Are you okay?" The Kryptonian asked.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. You?"

"Hurting." Kara admitted. "But I'll live."

"The good news is you're right about that." Clark's voice, half amused and half worried broke in and they slowly looked up to see the rest of the Justice League staring down at them. He tapped the side of his head. "Nothing broken, for either of you, but you're going to need some time to heal up."

"Now if we're not disturbing you what happened!" Sara broke in, unable to contain herself. "Is there an invasion force two minutes behind you or what?"

"No, or at least there shouldn't be." Kate said, groaning as she sat up. Every part of her wanted to lie down and sleep but some things couldn't wait. 

"Kate." Bruce's quiet voice broke in. "What did you do...?"

She sighed and filled them in on the edited highlights. When she was done every single person was staring at them in awe. The Kryptonian that had gone toe to toe with a god and the Human who'd out-bargained the devil.

"Will he keep his word?" Clark asked and the question was aimed at Bruce who shrugged.

"Who can say but Darkseid does have a code, twisted as it may be. I'd say yes, at least for now." He turned to the two women who were swaying slightly with the effort of standing. "Well done, both of you." He paused then spoke over his shoulder to Superman. "What do you think Clark?"

Clark laughed and nodded. "You were right."

"About what?" Kara asked trying to hide her exhaustion.

"World's finest." Bruce said with a smile that seemed to lift years from his face. 

There was laughter and agreement from the group but before they could surge forward to congratulate the pair Alex stepped in between them and raised her hands.

"Okay, that can all wait until later, right now these two have an appointment in the med bay, doctor's orders!" She lowered a hand to the gun on her hip. "And anyone that disagrees can congratulate them from the next bed along, understand?"

"Yes Ma'am." Sara said with a wink but she seemed to be the only member of the entire league that wasn't at least a little cautious at that moment.

"Good!" Alex turned and put an arm around both Kara and Kate, walking in between them as she guided them out and down a tunnel.

"Thanks Alex." Kate said, gratefully.

"Yeah, but the med bay, really?" Kara asked, trying to keep it from becoming a whine of protest.

"Yes. Med bay. The very secure, private and currently empty med bay that someone who definitely wasn't your loving, caring sister bullied Superman into moving a king size bed into along with a well stocked fridge and one of those magical Kryptonian cooking stations that does all the work for you."

"I love you." Kara said.

"Me too." Kate added with a grin. "Remind me to add you to the will."

"One condition." Alex said as they arrived at the door, her hand hovering over the lock. "48 hours of 'recovery' time provided you actually *do* spend some time recovering, fair?"

"Fair." They chorused and Alex tripped the lock with a chuckle before walking away with a satisfied grin, almost making it far enough away not to hear the quiet thud of bodies hitting a mattress.

"So... what next?" Kara asked as she snuggled up against Kate an hour or two later.

"Well two days of enforced time alone together with occasional breaks for medical attention, surely?"

"Yeah, I know, but after that..." Kara said, letting her lips nuzzle and explore the curve of Kate's neck.

"Well, hmm.... good question. We've got another wedding to plan but that'll take a while anyway to get everything lined up. We... actually we still need to have this wedding reception don't we? Bruce kinda got in the way."

"Good point. I'm sure Clark can sort out replacements for anything that's been nibbled before now."

"After that, back to work?"

"I had a thought about that."

"Really? I love when you get creative." Kate said squirming in a way guaranteed to spark Kara's muse.

"And I'll be coming up with new ways to make you moan my name until our last day." Kara promised. "But this particular thought was a little different."

"Awwwwww." Kate pouted as her left hand did something particularly cruel to Kara's inner thigh.

"Gghhh.... yes, remember when we, uh, came out to the world?"

"Little difficult to forget. I was convinced I was going to wake up in a bathtub of ice with a kidney or two missing and it was just a wonderful dream my brain had thrown at me as a morphine replacement."

"Well that's... graphic." Kara said, blinking. "But I meant when we were talking with Mary about our plans and you made a crack about wanting beaches but settling for culture?"

"Yes. Wait, you mean...?"

"Why not? We deserve a break and a proper honeymoon. I could do with soaking up the rays for a while and there is no finer sight in this world than my Kate soaking wet in a bikini."

"Well now you're just stealing my lines." Kate teased. "Sounds great to me but... one condition?"

"Which is..."

"I get to pick the bikinis."

"After you saved my life from a literal god, I think that's fair." Kara laughed. "Tell you what, you do that and I'll pick the island. Sure I can fly us somewhere really private."

"Oh now that's the best offer I've ever heard." Kate said.

"Not quite." Kara replied, lowering her lips and whispering in Kate's ear while her hands roamed over her body, enacting a preview of her words.

"That's... is that even possible?"

"No idea. Want to find out?" Kara said with a smile that made everything else melt away and Kate laughed, rolling into the waiting embrace, kissing her wife as the universe fell into its proper place.

Two weeks later Kate Kane lifted herself out of the crystal clear blue water of their own personal paradise. The simple white string bikini clung to her curves, snorkelling mask hanging from her right hand. She made a show of walking slowly up on to the beach, swaying her hips and delighting in the reaction from the staring blonde on the sun-bed. Kara was wearing a similar outfit only in black and with a higher cut to show off her spectacular waist and legs. She'd almost objected but realised that there was no-one else within a hundred miles and if she was ever going to show off then this was the perfect place to do it.

Kate slithered up Kara's body, straddling her thighs and leaning down to give her a slightly salty kiss. "Can we just stay here forever?" she said softly, her hands roaming down Kara's sides. 

"Don't tempt me." Kara groaned bringing a leg up to provide Kate with her own distraction. 

"But you're so fun to tempt."

"Honestly I'd love to." Kara said. "I can think of nothing, absolutely nothing, better than the two of us living here forever."

"It would be nice wouldn't it?" Kate said and her tone turned soft and caring. "Actually there was something I wanted to ask you but it might seem a bit... uh, morbid."

"Shop talk?"

"No, no, I and my ass have learnt that lesson thanks."

"And it took you five goes because?"

"I'm a quick learner but my butt isn't." Kate winked.

"Right. So you had a non-shop talk morbid question?"

"Yeah. So, uh, we've never really talked about this but... well, you know when two people get together and say they're together forever it's not... really forever?"

"Yes..." Kara's voice was gentle and she reached up to run her fingers up Kate's arm. "You talked to Bruce, didn't you?"

"A little, yeah and he might have mentioned something. But honestly this has been on my mind too. Pretty much since the day we first kissed, off and on. And I think... I kinda want to apologise."

"Apologise?"

"Yeah, I know, weird right?"

"A bit, yes."

"Well I feel guilty about it. It doesn't seem fair that I get to spend my life with you - and a you that's pretty much going to be young and beautiful when I'm old, grey and lacking in teeth at that - then I leave you all alone."

"Kate... " Kara sat up straight, pulling the brunette in to her so she could hold her properly. "When I said I love you I meant it. And I want to be with you for as long as we can be, no matter what happens. Regardless of danger, time or... or lack of teeth."

Kate made a mewling sound as she felt her heart melt a little more for this astonishing woman. "Well in that case can I ask something that I've got no right to ask?"

"Sure."

"If we make it that far and, well, and we know I've only got one sunset left, could you... could you bring us here?"

Kara nodded, tears in her eyes.

"Kara when you first came into my life it was like... like the sun had come up. If I know it's got to go down I'd like to do it with you there. I think, I think I can face anything if you're with me."

Kara just kissed her, slowly and tenderly, holding her close in silent promise. Kate's hands started to glide over Kara's neck and back, marvelling as always at how smooth and unmarked the skin was, luxuriating in the feel of muscles tensing and relaxing as she teased her wife. Her wife, she thought with a grin that Kara couldn't help but notice under the circumstances. This angel had picked her, lifted her up above the darkness and the future shone so very brightly.

"What is it?" Kara murmured.

"Oh, just thinking how lucky I am." Kate said casually before turning the grin into something wicked. "And also that when we get back I really ought to upgrade the batcomputer a little, give us permanent access to police data feeds, that sort of thing."

Kara threw a "are you serious" look at the brunette who tried, and failed, to look innocent. "Oops, sorry, I guess that's talking shop isn't it? Tsk tsk, when will I learn."

Kara sighed, wiggled slightly then flew straight up into the air! She stopped when they were above the tallest palm trees and juggled Kate around until she was lying on Kara's lap, her legs and head dangling over nothing, her ass perfectly positioned at least as far as Kara was concerned.

"Just so you know...." Kara said conversationally, letting her lover squirm in anticipation for a moment. "I'm not stopping until you beg me this time."

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" Kate asked, wiggling her hips as much as she dared.

"Yes, because you'll be begging for the inflatable plug..." Kara growled. Kate just had time for her eyes to widen in shock before Kara's hand came down and a sharp crack echoed around their own personal paradise as the evening's entertainment began...


End file.
